Engineering properties of water/wastewater-treatment sludge modified by hydrated lime, fly ash and loess

The purpose of this research was to present engineering properties of modified sludge from water/wastewater treatment by modifiers such as hydrated lime, loess, and fly ash. The proper mixing ratio was determined to hold the pH of the modified sludge above 12.0 for 2 h. Laboratory tests carried out in this research included particle analysis, compaction and CBR, SEM and X-ray diffraction, unconfined compression test, permeability test, and TCLP test. The main role of lime was to sterilize microorganisms in the sludge. The unconfined strength of the modified sludge by fly ash and loess satisfied the criteria for construction materials, which was above 100 kPa. The permeability of all the mixtures was around 1.0×10−7 cm/s. Extraction tests for hazardous components in modified sludge revealed below the regulated criteria, especially for cadmium, copper, and lead. The present study suggested that the use of lime, fly ash, and loess be an another alternative to modify or stabilize water/wastewater treatment sludge as construction materials in civil engineering.